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The Foodie-Friendly Side Of Cruising

Claire Thomas of Kitchy Kitchen shares mouthwatering experiences from her first cruise.

Food2016-12-08T11:51:06+00:00Posted on December 8, 20162016-12-08T16:49:32+00:00December 8, 2016 by John Mannelly485

Claire Thomas, the dynamic food enthusiast behind the website Kitchy Kitchen, was born and raised in Los Angeles, and even though she’s written in-depth guides about dream destinations such as Rome, Tulum and Paris, she had never been on a cruise—until recently, when she took the opportunity to get away on the new Harmony of the Seas and left entranced.

“Considering this was my first time on board anything larger than my grandpa’s motorboat rental that time we went fishing, my data points for a luxury cruise were limited,” Thomas wrote in a post on her site about the trip. “But honestly, I can’t imagine anything grander than Harmony of the Seas.”

She raved about her two-bedroom Royal Suite Class accommodations as well as the Central Park neighborhood, with its outdoor piazza surrounded by vertical gardens, luxury shopping and popular restaurants. Overall, one of her biggest takeaways was how cruising has something for everyone—explaining its multi-generational appeal.

Given Thomas’ expertise with cooking, it’s no surprise she had an eye out for the ship’s dining options. In another post on her site, she focused entirely on the highlights of what she ate. “There are so many options … that you can customize the trip to your style—exciting and adventurous, laid back and relaxed, or mine—which was fork in hand 24/7,” she wrote.

Though she notes she wasn’t able to eat at all venues onboard, she was wooed by Chops Grille, with its hand-cut, dry-aged steaks (the first at sea) and said that 150 Central Park served her the most “visually stunning” food (see video below for more about this fine dining venue). “The carrot puree with scallops was delicate and savory, and I love a classic ‘swoop’ of sauce across my plate,” Thomas said.

In the end, it seems she would be back to sail another cruise soon. “The best way to describe the experience was like being in a luxury resort that also happened to be floating on the water,” Thomas wrote.

Claire Thomas is a food and lifestyle blogger based in Los Angeles; all photos above are hers. For more, follow her on Instagram and Twitter.